In their article "IDF sending Hamas a message: Now it's personal"
Ha'aretz writers Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff explain that the assassination of senior Hamas official Nizar Rayyan on January 1 "is a significant development at this stage of the war
in the Gaza Strip, due not only to his high position in the Gaza
leadership but also because of the message his assassination sends to
the Palestinians."
What exactly is that message? From the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights:
At approximately 2:40pm
yesterday, Thursday 1 January 2008, Israeli aircrafts fired heavy
missiles at the house of Nizar Rayyan, a leader in the Hamas movement,
in the Jabaliya refugee camp, causing massive destruction in the camp
and killing 16 of its residents, 11 of whom were children. The victims
were identified as:
yesterday, Thursday 1 January 2008, Israeli aircrafts fired heavy
missiles at the house of Nizar Rayyan, a leader in the Hamas movement,
in the Jabaliya refugee camp, causing massive destruction in the camp
and killing 16 of its residents, 11 of whom were children. The victims
were identified as:
- 49-year-old Nizar Abdul-Qadir Rayyan;
- 40-year-old Nawal Ismail Rayyan;
- 46-year-old Hyiam Abdul-Rahman Rayyan;
- 45-year-old Iman Khalil Rayyan;
- 25-year-old Shirin Said Rayyan;
- 2-year-old Asad Nizar Rayyan;
- 3-year-old Usama Nizar Rayyan;
- 3-year-old Aiysha Nizar Rayyan;
- 4-year-old Reem Nizar Rayyan;
- 5-year-old Halima Nizar Rayyan;
- 5-year-old Meryam Nizar Rayyan;
- 6-year-old Abdul-Rahman Nizar Rayyan;
- 12-year-old Abdul-Qadir Nizar Rayyan;
- 12-year-old Ayia Nizar Rayyan;
- 15-year-old Zainab Nizar Rayyan;
- 16-year-old Ghassan Nizar Rayyan
The
victims are from the same family. The body of Ghassan was still under
the rubble of the house at the time this release was drafted. Moreover,
12 people, including five children and one woman, were injured this
raid. It also destroyed 10 houses completely and caused damage to
another dozens of other houses.
victims are from the same family. The body of Ghassan was still under
the rubble of the house at the time this release was drafted. Moreover,
12 people, including five children and one woman, were injured this
raid. It also destroyed 10 houses completely and caused damage to
another dozens of other houses.
